A massive asteroid roughly the size of three football fields is expected to make a close flyby of Earth in 2029, offering scientists a rare opportunity to study a large space rock up close, according to NASA.
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The asteroid, named Apophis after the ancient Egyptian “God of Chaos,” will pass Earth on April 13, 2029, at a distance of about 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers). This brings it closer than many of Earth’s highest-orbiting satellites.
Despite its classification as a “potentially hazardous asteroid,” NASA has confirmed that Apophis poses no risk to Earth during this approach or for at least the next century. The agency stressed that there is “no danger to Earth, to anyone or anything living on it, or to astronauts or satellites in space.”
Scientists say the flyby will be an unprecedented research opportunity, allowing detailed observation of the asteroid’s size, composition, and orbit. The event is expected to help improve understanding of near-Earth objects and planetary defense systems.
Under favorable conditions, Apophis may even be visible to the naked eye in parts of the Eastern Hemisphere during its closest approach.
Astronomers continue to track the asteroid closely, but emphasize that its trajectory is now well understood and stable, ruling out any future collision risk for the foreseeable future.
